When should a toddler have words?
Contest winner Betsy asked:
My son is 15 months old. He communicates well with pointing and nodding, he can identify objects in his books, and he understands most of what we say. However, he does not have any words beyond "Mama", "Dada", and "no". He has playmates around his age who are much more verbal. Should I be concerned?
Dr. Daniel Levy, who has advised us before on subjects such as teething and hitting, had this to say:
"Not to worry! The wonderful thing about child development is the rich variety of normality. Some children speak early, others walk early. There are no hard-and-fast rules, other than one area of development often surges at the expense of another. By age 3, all normal kids are speaking in short sentences, expressing their needs, and are ready to tackle socialization and cooperative play.
"If you are concerned about any area of development, let your child's doctor know. As warranted, the doctor may refer you to your area Infant and Toddler Program for assessment and possible intervention...but our little friend in question here is entirely normal!
"Bless your family! Dr. Dan"
(Alphabet soup photo by Baltimore Sun photographer Amy Davis)
Comments
Thanks for the reassurance!
Posted by: Betsy | December 15, 2009 9:31 AM